Abstract
In NSW a formal assessment is required prior to any
significant development (such as a residential development
or new industry) to ensure it complies with relevant
planning controls and to confirm it is environmentally and
socially sustainable. The level of assessment required is
dictated by state, regional and local planning legislation,
which also outlines who is responsible for assessing
and granting consent to the development, be it the local
council or the NSW Minister for Planning. The NSW
Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 (EP&A
Act) provides the legislative framework to assess the
environmental impact of development proposals. This
article describes a survey of public health units in NSW
that informed the development of a database designed to
support environmental risk assessment.
